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LANJIGARH, DECEMBER 2, 2025
In the soft, unhurried rhythm of Chanalima village, where a farmer’s daughter once balanced schoolwork with tending crops alongside her mother, a remarkable story of grit and grace was quietly taking shape. Seventeen-year-old Rachana Majhi, who grew up with no exposure to organised sport, now stands among Odisha’s finest young archers — a national gold medalist whose journey is as unlikely as it is inspiring.
Raised by her mother, Champa Majhi, after the loss of her father, Late Nabin Majhi, Rachana’s world revolved around academics and supporting their modest farmland. Sports were never part of the picture until a chance encounter in 2021 changed everything. When coordinators of Vedanta Aluminium’s archery training initiative visited her school in Lanjigarh, she saw a compound bow for the first time. Its elegance, its silence, its demand for focus — something about it spoke to her. She decided to give it a try, unaware that this small step would alter the course of her life.
Once enrolled in the programme, Rachana entered a disciplined ecosystem equipped with modern gear, nutrition support, and trained coaches who identified her potential almost instantly. Her coach, Shambhu Nath Parida, recalls the first spark he noticed in her. “Rachana has a rare steadiness. Even when the pressure is high, she stays composed. She learns fast, adapts quickly, and carries a maturity beyond her age,” he says. His instinct proved right.
Her rise was swift and steady. She clinched her first medal — a silver — at the 2022 Open State Championship. Two years later, she dominated the School State Championship with a gold and added another silver at the Open State meet. Then came her breakthrough year. In 2025, she struck gold at the SGFI Council National Games and earned selection for the Sub-Junior National Championship, formally announcing her arrival on the national stage.
Back in Chanalima, her achievements have become a symbol of pride for her village, turning her into a quiet role model for girls who once never imagined stepping onto a sports ground. For Rachana, every medal is a reminder of how far she has come — and how far she still dreams of going.
Her journey reflects the growing impact of Vedanta Aluminium’s archery programme, launched in 2018 to nurture rural and tribal talent from underserved regions. With over 300 children now training under expert guidance — including mentoring from Olympian Rahul Banerjee — the initiative is shaping a pipeline of future champions.
“Rachana’s journey reflects what is possible when opportunity reaches the grassroots. Our goal is to empower young talent from rural communities by giving them the coaching, exposure and support they need to dream and achieve,” says Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, CEO, Vedanta Alumina Business.
Today, Rachana is recognised as one of the most promising archers in the programme, known for her composure, precision, and unwavering focus. From touching a bow for the first time in 2021 to winning national gold in just three years, her transformation is both extraordinary and emblematic of what determination can accomplish when paired with opportunity.
As she trains for upcoming national championships, Rachana dreams of wearing India’s colours someday. For the farmer’s daughter who once believed her future lay only in school and fields, archery has become a doorway to possibilities she never knew existed. And in the process, she has begun inspiring many young girls across Kalahandi to draw their own bowstrings, take their own aim, and chase dreams that once felt far beyond reach — just as she did with her very first arrow.
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